Ontario First Nation seeks emergency relief in Federal Court over water crisis [Video]

A First Nation in northwestern Ontario is seeking emergency relief from the federal government to address the “critical” state of its water and sewage system as part of legal action launched in Federal Court.

Pikangikum First Nation submitted a motion Thursday asking the court to compel the government to provide emergency funds to deliver adequate water and sanitation services to the community of more than 4,000 people.

The First Nation has declared a state of emergency and filed a lawsuit against the federal government, arguing that Canada has failed to fix the water issue and has caused irreparable harm to the community.

A statement of claim initially filed last year says the First Nation has suffered from deficient water and sewage infrastructure for decades, and most households have no running water.

The First Nation alleges that Canada has failed to provide potable water, sewage disposal and fire prevention infrastructure to …